by Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY

by Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY

McCrory, a Republican and a former Charlotte mayor, narrowly lost to Bev Perdue in his 2008 gubernatorial bid. This time around, however, he had the wind at his back as he faced off against Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton.

The state's economy, while improved in recent months, still languishes with 9.6% unemployment. And after scoring big wins in the state legislature and delivering the state to President Obama in 2008, North Carolina's Democratic Party was reeling.

A former North Carolina Democratic Party staffer filed a defamation suit in June against the state party after alleging that he was sexually harassed by the former executive director. Perdue's approval rating fell lower than any sitting governor in the nation earlier this year, and she chose not to even stand for re-election.

McCrory raised more than $11.5 million for the election cycle compared to Dalton's $3.9 million, which allowed McCrory to run a robust television campaign. Big-name Republicans, including Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and Scott Walker of Wisconsin, also came to the Tar Heel State to vouch for McCrory, who served on George W. Bush's Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2003 to 2006.

McCrory, 56, who served as a member of the Charlotte city council from 1989-1995 then as the city's mayor from 1995 to 2009, was able to break a string of bad luck for former Charlotte mayors who have tried to make the leap from the Queen City to statewide office. As mayor, he also served as chair of a national association of Republican mayors.

McCrory graduated from Catawba College in 1978 and worked as a manager at Duke Energy; he has continued to work as an energy and economic development consultant. He lives in Charlotte with his wife, Ann.